Ben Franklin participates in a ceremony in Taiwan with U.S. and Taiwan EPA officials via Skype.
Principal Chris Turnbull, Eco-Schools USA representative Jennifer Dowd and third grader Charlotte Luckey proudly display Partnership Flag.
The Environmental Protection Agency recognized Ben Franklin Elementary School for its partnership with a school in Taiwan .
Principal Chris Turnbull and students met at the school on a Sunday evening to skype with Ben Franklin’s sister school, JianAn Elementary School in New Taipei, Taiwan. It was 8 a.m. Monday in Taiwan.
The group, including Eco-Schools USA representative Jennifer Dowd and EPA representative Gavin Lau, convened to be part of a skyped assembly with EPA administrator Gina McCarthy and the Minister of the Environmental Protection Authority of Taiwan at JianAn Elementary School.
McCarthy thanked Ben Franklin students for being leaders in the community and for making a big difference through their work with the Ben Franklin EPA as well as their partnership with Taiwan.
During the ceremony, 10 new partnerships were formed between schools in New Jersey and Taiwan as a result of the template Ben Franklin and JianAn created.
Additionally, Dowd presented Ben Franklin with a flag and a crystal ruler in recognition of the work Ben Franklin has done with JianAn Elementary and the U.S. Sustainable Schools program.
The following day, The China Post referenced Ben Franklin Elementary in an article about Administrator McCarthy’s visit to Taiwan.
McCarthy’s itinerary includes a tour at JianAn Elementary School in Taipei, where she will visit its low carbon classrooms and ecological ponds, as well as arranging a videoconference between the school and Ben Franklin Elementary School in the U.S. state of New Jersey. She will also provide a keynote speech at National Taiwan University, sharing her experiences and outlook on U.S.-Taiwan collaboration on environmental education.
More information is online at ltps.org.
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